Losing the thread . . . .

Over the weekend, I lost the thread of my novel or, as mystery writers call it, my WIP (work in progress). I had been going gangbusters, a thousand words a day, last week. But then Friday I got busy with other things, Saturday Jacob came to stay, and Sunday Colin, Jamie and Jordan arrived for the memorial service for Charles. Yesterday it was 9:30 before I even picked up a book, by which time I was too tired to think about being creative. This morning I ran errands--for some reason it took me forever to wrap and mail a package--the local post office substation I went to had closed, so I thought, but then I found out it had just moved. Meantime I went back home to get the handicapped tag so I could park in a good place at the post office. Anyway, there, with emails, went the morning.
But this afternoon I settled down to it, read a bit about where I'd left off, and began to write--at this point I'm mostly getting words on paper, forging ahead. I have definite ideas of what's going to happen but I'm afraid if I start moving toward the climactic parts of the novel, with only 43,000 words done, I'll end up really short. I'm thinking, however, that's what I should do, see how it comes out, and then rewrite. I did write a total of about a thousand words today, some of it going into the early parts to clarify some things and some of it moving ahead. And I guess I know where I'm going with it, so I can move ahead tomorrow. If I write every day I keep up the momentum of the story--and I think that's important.
It's much easier to keep up the momentum on my nonfiction book--those are short entries, and I can easily do one a day if I put my mind to it. The problem will come with finding illustrations, if the proposed publisher likes the manuscript. Right now, it's really short--16,000 words--but there are so many pictures I could include, like Frito Bandito and all the Dr Pepper memorabilia.
Jacob was having a boys' night with his dad, while Jordan went to a girls' happy hour and then came by here for supper, because she didn't want to have to cook at 7:30. We had a nice visit--I had already eaten half my tuna cake (too big for one helping) and some squash casserole and fried her the other tuna pattie and made a salad--squash casserole would never pass those lips. I really feel like I've overeaten today--a rich but wonderful smoked turkey, cheddar, sprouts, tomato sandwich on sun-dried panini for lunch. Bet I gained weight today.

The pace of a retirement day

Today was one of those days when I had nothing I had to do--and yet I felt a bit rushed (the problem of being a compulsive). I ignored that as much as I could. By the time I slept late, read the Sunday paper, dealt with emails (including the Sisters in Crime listserv that I monitor on Sundays), did my yoga and showered, it was nearly lunchtime. I did some good if difficult work on a section of my nonfiction book I'm working on--since I'm not using the embedded footnote program, it means a lot of work every time I discover something in my notes that I have to go back and insert, changes all the FN numbers, and then change all the notes. I managed to get about 900 words but still have a way to go. But I quit when it was time for a nap. Still I felt good about what I'd accomplished.
Tonight my friend Sue had a dinner to celebrate her mom's birthday, mine, and Susan's, so I went with Jay and Susan. Sue's parents are here from Canada, which added extra delight. I always enjoy them. Sue's dinner was delicious--roast lamb, green salad, and a tomato and herb salad, good crusty bread--plus shrimp which allergies prevent me from eating. Jay made cupcakes with Vermont maple syrup in them--delicious. I usually don't eat dessert but couldn't turn these down. Sue's dad, a law enforcement officer in Canada all his career, recounted his two years undercover on the crime detail--fascinating. All in all, it was a wonderful evening, though I have to say that all these good friends talk so loud and all at once that my hearing aids couldn't keep up. Sue's children--Alex, who will be going into 8th grade and Hunter who will go into 5th--are charming and delightful. Alex and Maddie, my oldest  grandchild, used to be friends, but the age gap between them has widened  Both, however are avid readers, and Alex showed me some books that Maddie might like. I asked her to emaill me the titles. They are both girls who go quickly form iPhones and electronic games to good old-fashioned books, something I love about their generation. It was, all in all, a lovely evening, and I am so fortunate to have such good friends.
Birthday? I don't feel a bit older. But I am sleepy.